LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Elizabeth Gitto, a 38-year-old, stay-at-home mom from Sherman Oaks, CA,
is among the 3,000 Americans diagnosed each year with a little known
brain tumor called an acoustic neuroma (AN) that sits near the nerve
nearest the part of the brain that controls hearing. She suffered
from intermittent hearing loss, ringing in the ears, vertigo,
dizziness and headaches and it took doctors a year to finally discover
the tumor. Her treatment options seemed limited and “truly scary”
as removing the tumor is tricky and often results in patients losing
their hearing.

She did her research, though, and uncovered studies conducted at the
Skull Base Institute in LA that show patients undergoing the “keyhole”
technique fared much better than their counterparts who underwent the
traditional, invasive procedures favored by neurosurgeons.

Brain surgeon Hrayr Shahinian, M.D., medical director of the Skull Base
Institute who has performed 6,000+ minimally invasive procedures
including the keyhole technique, says that it involves making a
dime-sized opening behind the ear and using an endoscope to remove the
tumor. Unlike traditional forms of surgery, no metal retractors are used
to push the brain aside thus reducing chances of brain damage and no
massive incisions are necessary, which makes it safer. ANs are located
near 2 nerves – one situated near the hearing canal and the other that
controls facial expression. Standard surgery often results in a loss of
hearing and permanent facial paralysis while such occurrences are less
likely using the keyhole technique.

According to a study conducted by the Skull Base Institute:

An astounding 94% of AN tumors were completely removed and 6% mostly
removed using the keyhole procedure.

100% of patients experienced preservation of their facial nerve

Hearing was preserved in 57% of keyhole patients while those
undergoing more traditional invasive approaches fared less favorably
(i.e., one such procedure, the translabyrinthine approach, results in
total hearing loss in 100% of patients)

No significant neurological complications occurred in any of the
keyhole cases compared with up to 20% through traditional surgical
options

The keyhole procedure takes approximately 2 hours to perform while
traditional surgery can take up to 12, hospital stays are
significantly shorter (2 days vs. 10), and recovery time is
dramatically shorter.